Syria’s ports suffer as unrest hits economy
Shipping boom brought on by winding down of Iraq war is over as companies, countries avoid Syrian shores due to Assad’s crackdown.
AMMAN - From his window on the corniche of Syria’s Mediterranean port city of Tartous, an international shipper bemoans the change since a popular uprising six months ago engulfed the country and dealt a heavy blow to its economy.
“At night, ship lights made Tartous extend into a city on the sea; now it’s like a small village. The port’s sealine was full of vessels — now the berths are nearly empty,” said the shipper, who opened an agency in Tartous to cash in on a boom in traffic after the Iraq war wound down.
Shippers and businessmen say exports have dropped as foreign customers have cut orders, while Syrian importers have delayed orders because of the uncertainty. Meanwhile, companies which used Syria as a conduit to conduct trade with other countries in the region are seeking different routes. Syria’s principal port of Latakia, where the military deployed three months ago, has been hit hard along with Tartous.